Relative characteristics of physical activities

Informed consent

This constitutes the consent for the survey and is presented online. People who agree to these terms and want to participate in the survey give their consent electronically through the survey link. We encourage all participants to download a copy of this document for their records.

Please read this consent agreement carefully before you decide to participate in the study.

Introduction: For the purpose of this research survey, the mental state of flow is defined as the complete involvement in an activity for its own sake. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost. Flow experiences can occur in different ways for different people. Some might experience flow while engaging in a sport such as skiing, tennis, soccer, dancing, or running. Others might have such an experience while engaged in an activity such as painting, drawing, or writing.

Purpose of the research study: To investigate the relative conductivity of particular physical activities to flow. Is basketball or baseball more conducive to flow and by how much? Is the difference bigger or smaller than the difference between miniature golf and badminton?

What you will do in the study: The study consists of a survey. To answer, you will need to have engaged in two recreational or competitive solo physical activities or group sports within the past 12 months. Note: Spectating does not count as a physical activity, for the purpose of this survey. You can skip any question that makes you feel uncomfortable and you can stop answering the questionnaire at any time.

Time required: Twenty items ask about the relative characteristics of two physical activities. Most participants finish in fewer than 5 minutes.

Risks: There is no more than minimal risk in this study. However, there is a small risk of loss of confidentiality since your IP address is collected. To minimize this risk, all information will be stored in password protected computers and transferred via encrypted channels. IP addresses will be destroyed after the data are analyzed.

Benefits: The study may help us understand what makes some physical activities more engaging and enjoyable than others. You will have an opportunity to explore preliminary results once you complete the survey. Anonymized data will be archived on a freely accessible website, available for other researchers to analyze.

Costs: There is no cost for participating in this study other than the time you will spend completing the questionnaire.

Confidentiality: Potentially identifiable information about you consists of the IP address where your computer is located. These data will be stored in a password protected computer and only transmitted over encrypted channels. IP addresses will be destroyed after the data are analyzed.

Voluntary participation and withdrawal: Your participation in this study is voluntary. You may decide to not participate in this study. Your decision not to take part will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Once you submit your data, we are unable to delete it because we cannot identify it.

Questions: If you have any questions, complaints, or concerns about your participation in this research, contact:

The researcher/study staff named above is the best person(s) to call for questions about your participation in this study. If you have any general questions about your rights as a participant in this or any other research, you may contact:

Contact this number to ask general questions, to obtain information or offer input, and to express concerns or complaints about research. You may also call this number if you cannot reach the research team or if you wish to talk with someone else. General information about participation in research studies can also be found at ​http://www.research.vcu.edu/human_research/volunteers.htm.

By clicking 'next', I affirm that I have read this consent, am 18 years or older, and agree to participate in this study.